Gary's Gun Notes #14

This time of year always seems to fly by.  Even though it is the slowest time of the year for most gun shops and our gun shop (The Pistol Parlor) is no exception.   For us here in the custom shop, it is pretty much the busiest.  We have so many orders that we need to get done in time for hunting season, plus I give myself one good hunt each year, usually to Africa.   To get ready for this I am normally trying new loads and sometimes, like this year, new cartridges.  In Africa this summer I  plan to take a couple of proven calibers in my Encores and hopefully a couple of new calibers in my revolvers.

In my Encores I plan to take my 378 GNR and either my 416 GNR or 450 GNR.  All three have taken the biggest there is, elephant, so they don't have anything to prove.   The 2 revolvers are bit different.   My 410 GNR has proven itself several times over on large dangerous game but the other, my 510 GNR is still a virgin.  With the help of Kelly Brosts 350 gr. LBT bullet that he developed especially for the 510 GNR, hopefully I will get a chance to try it out on large elk sized game or bigger.  We'll see.

We have 6 people set for that African hunt and it's almost a full time job trying to get them all the info about their passports, cold weather gear (it's winter over there), and hundred other things.  The group this year, just recently rounded out by the addition of Keith Kallsen, should be one of the best ever.  We've been doing this since 1987 and this is our 55th hunt since then.

This hunt should also give several of our GNR calibers a good working out.  Brian Doher plans to bring a 378 GNR, 300 GNR and a 454.  Rick Sim will be using a 378 GNR, and a 300 WSM. Keith Kallsen will be using a 410 GNR and a 375 H&H.  Roger Robertson will be using a 300 WSM and a 308.   Larry Kovach will be shooting a 410 GNR, 41 GNR and 454.  With all these different guns and cartridges it should be an interesting hunt.

Speaking of new cartridges, the folks at Glock think they can replace the 45 ACP with their new shorter 45 Glock cartridge.  This new cartridge is 70 thousandths shorter than the 45 ACP and will shoot a lighter bullet at speed that I think are a bit iffy.   They say it will fit a new Glock that is the size of the standard Model 17 which is the full sized 9mm.  It will hold 10 plus one and has been dubbed the Model 37.  I hope it does all they expect it to but they very seldom do.

A couple years ago one of the action movie stars turned against us and against guns.  He was Sylvester Stallone.  Then last year another one, Wesley Snipes, turned hard core anti gun and anti NRA.  Now it seems we have some more enemies in country and rock music as well.  Everyone knows about the Dixie Chicks badmouthing George Bush at one of their concerts.  Now they have joined up with PETA against hunters and gun people in general.  They apparently are planning to go all out and push for a ban on all hunting.

The second one is one that just a year or so ago came our for sport hunting because her husband was a big pheasant and bird hunter.  Now Madonna says she has changed and wants everybody to have "peace and love in their hearts".  Give me a break!  She has done several ads for gun control and for the anti hunting crowd.  Oh well, just another dumb blonde.

Some changes in the new 500 S&W ammo.  Apparently there were some variances in the brass and Cor-Bon has had new brass made up.  How this will affect the guns I have no idea.   We only have a couple of them and only one gun is customers hands.  The other 2 are in guns writers hot little hands.   It may make a difference in head-spacing and some guns may well have to be shipped back to be checked out.  I got my first batch of the new brass this week and all guns from here on will be headspaced with the new brass.

Several of our new guns are closer to becoming real.  Our new 8 shot 22 mag Mini Widow is just about finished.  As we have talked about here before, we plan to bring back the Keith #5 revolver, if all goes well.  And if you the original Colt Bisley, we may have something for you there also.   I'll tell you more later when I know more about what I'm saying.  The new 600 Nitro is closer, slowly, but closer.  we have a new Javelina Classic revolver coming out which will be a small game hunting revolver, chambered in300 GNR and 356 GNR.  Unfortunately due to being so swamped with orders for our other custom revolvers we don't have much spare time to devote to developing new products.  I normally do this at night and on weekends. which is the same time I work on my own personal guns and build my own guns.

I just talked to Rick Sim, known worldwide as FNG #2, and he plans to use a 375 GNR #2 Encore in Africa, among others.  This is one cartridge we haven't pushed much but with the Encore out and the G-2 coming soon, you'll see more and more about this one.  It has the capability of being the best or of the top 3 cartridges we have developed.  More next month.  Til then, get ready, hunting season is almost here.

 

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E-Mail: gary@reedercustomguns.com

Reeder Custom Guns
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